Steelers DC Teryl Austin Reveals Minkah Fitzpatrick And Keanu Neal Will Be Game-Time Decisions For Week 11

The Pittsburgh Steelers have been fighting an uphill battle when it comes to injuries so far in the 2023 season. From losing veteran Cam Heyward in Week 1 to starting tight end Pat Freiermuth being banged up, Pittsburgh has had to really reach into the depth chart in order to cover the field every week. No injury was more detrimental than when safety Minkah Fitzpatrick went down with what looked like a serious hamstring injury. To add on to the troubled injury problem, starting strong safety Keanu Neal went down after hauling in a game-sealing interception in Week 10. However, both safeties might return to the field sooner than originally thought. 

Neal effectively won the game for the Steelers with his tip-drill interception in the end zone, stopping the Green Bay Packers in their tracks after they marched down the field, looking for a game-winning touchdown. But during the return, Neal went down with a rib injury and has been labeled questionable since, as well as taking to the sideline during practices. Neal's injury looked like it could put him on the bench for a decent amount of time, but Defensive Coordinator Teryl Austin has come out to say that Neal, along with Fitzpatrick, will be game-time decisions for a Week 11 contest against the Cleveland Browns via Ray Fittipaldo. 

Fitzpatrick's injury looked like it might've been worse than Neal's, as his hamstring injury originally came with an unknown designation, meaning there was no timetable on when he would return to the field. With this news from Austin, Fitzpatrick may be healed enough to take the field against the Browns this coming week. The safety position has been battling injuries since training camp, so having the potential to have two of their starters back from injury would be huge for the unit. 

An already banged up Steelers team desperately needs their captain back on defense. A struggling Packers offense came to Pittsburgh and with the high regard Pittsburgh's defense is held to, most expected a defensive explosion for the Steelers. Missing Fitzpatrick greatly affected the team's communication on field, as Fitzpatrick is usually the leader of that portion of play. Regardless, Fitzpatrick still had a handle on Pittsburgh's defense, as he assisted his defensive coordinator with play-calling throughout the game, and even called the play that gave Neal his game-winning interception. 

Neal was making plays all over the field against the Packers, recording eight tackles, one defended pass, along with his first interception of the year. Neal was one of the most important defensive players against Green Bay, and may see an increase in use due to his stellar performance. 

Now in Week 11, the Steelers travel to Cleveland for an impactful divisional game, with Pittsburgh needing all of their star players to be healthy for a contest that has early playoff implications. Pittsburgh currently sits in second place in the AFC North, with both Cleveland and Cincinnati breathing down their necks, all within a game of each other.

Pittsburgh's Place in the AFC North 

The Steelers, Browns, and Baltimore Ravens all currently hold Wild Card spots in the NFL Playoffs, while the Bengals sit just outside the picture as the eighth seed. Pittsburgh has wins against both Baltimore and Cleveland, helping them hold the second spot in the AFC North. This division is proving to be one of the most volatile in the NFL, and it could shape up that the AFC North could see all four teams make the playoffs, which would mark the first time in NFL history that an entire division qualified for the postseason. The Steelers still have both games against the Bengals left, with Cincinnati becoming notorious for getting hot late and making deep playoff pushes. Baltimore is also still on the schedule for Pittsburgh, and that game could shape up the winner of the AFC North. 

How confident do you feel about Fitzpatrick and Neal's health? Will they be back in Week 11 against the Browns? Give us your thoughts in the comments below!

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